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(800) LA TIMESFounded Dec. 4, 1881
Vol. CXXXVIII No. 248
LOS ANGELES TIMES (ISSN 0458-3035)
is published by the Los Angeles Times,
2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo,
CA 90245. Periodicals postage is paid at
Los Angeles, CA, and additional cities.
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$6.99/week, $363.48 annually. Saturday
& Sunday $6.99/week, $363.48 annually.
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Premium issues per year. For each
Premium issue, your account balance
will be charged an additional fee up to
$4.49, in the billing period when the
section publishes. This will result in
shortening the length of your billing
period.Printed with soy-based ink on recycled newsprint from wood byproducts.JAMMU, India — The po-
litical crisis over the dis-
puted territory of Kashmir
escalated Wednesday when
Pakistan said it would
downgrade its diplomatic
ties with India, expel the In-
dian ambassador and sus-
pend trade with its regional
rival.
A security lockdown by
Indian troops continued for
a third day in Muslim-major-
ity Kashmir after the Hindu-
led nationalist government
in New Delhi scrapped the
region’s statehood and spe-
cial status, including the
right to its own constitution.
Hundreds of migrant
workers began the long trek
back to their villages in
northern and eastern India.
The Kashmir region is di-
vided between India and Pa-
kistan and is claimed by
both. The two nuclear-
armed neighbors have
fought three wars, two of
them over control of the
mountainous region, since
they won independence
from the British in 1947.
Kashmir is India’s only
Muslim-majority state, and
most people there oppose
Indian rule. Insurgent
groups have been fighting
for Kashmir’s independence
from India or its merger with
Pakistan since 1989.
The Indian government
has shut off most communi-
cations, including internet,
cellphone and landline net-
works, with Kashmir. Thou-
sands of additional troops
were sent to the already
heavily militarized region
out of fear the government’s
steps could spark unrest.
In response to India’s ac-
tion, Pakistani Foreign Min-
ister Shah Mahmood
Qureshi told parliament
that it would expel the Indi-
an ambassador, and the For-
eign Ministry later said In-dia had been instructed to
withdraw the envoy. The de-
cision came at a meeting of
Pakistan’s National Security
Committee led by Prime
Minister Imran Khan and
attended by the heads of the
armed forces and senior gov-
ernment officials.
Khan said at the meeting
that his administration
would use all diplomatic
channels “to expose the bru-
tal Indian racist regime” and
human rights violations in
Kashmir, according to a gov-
ernment statement.
Khan also directed Paki-
stan’s armed forces to re-
main on maximum alert.
Islamabad also said it
would review other aspects
of its relations with India. It
said it would ask the U.N. to
pressure India to reverse its
decision to downgrade
Kashmir from a state to two
territories. The region also
lost its right to fly its own flag
and make many of its own
decisions.
Pakistan said it would
continue extending diplo-
matic, political and moral
support for people living in
Kashmir and their “right of
self-determination.” Paki-
stan has long called for peo-
ple in the Indian-controlled
part of Kashmir to be al-
lowed to vote on whether
they want to sever ties with
India.
Sharat Sabharwal, a for-
mer Indian ambassador to
Pakistan, played down Is-
lamabad’s moves, calling
them “very symbolic mea-
sures.”
“Downgrading of diplo-
matic ties has happened in
the past. You maintain your
[diplomatic] missions, but
at a lower level. The contacts
are on. As far as suspending
trade ties with India is con-
cerned, India already has
withdrawn most-favored-
nation status to Pakistan
and imposed customs duties
of 200% on Pakistani prod-
ucts. Pakistan will be hurt-
ing itself as it needs machin-
ery and other products from
India,” he said.
Earlier, Pakistani law-
makers in a joint session of
parliament denounced the
action on Kashmir by Indian
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. The changes include
lifting a ban on property pur-
chases by nonresidents of
Kashmir, opening the way
for Indians outside the terri-
tory to invest and settle
there. The Muslim popula-
tion worries that such mea-
sures would change Kash-
mir’s demography, culture
and way of life.
Qureshi said he feared
“genocide and ethnic cleans-
ing” by India in Kashmir.
“God willing, one day
Kashmir will become Paki-
stan,” he said.
The lawmakers later
unanimously approved a
resolution condemning the
action, saying that as a dis-
puted territory, no change in
its status could be made by
New Delhi under U.N. reso-
lutions on Kashmir. It alsoasked India to reverse the
changes, lift an indefinite
curfew and release all de-
tainees in Kashmir.
India has accused Paki-
stan of arming and training
insurgents fighting for
Kashmir’s independence
from India or its merger with
Pakistan. Pakistan denies
the charge, saying it offers
only diplomatic and moral
support to the rebels.
In Jammu, the winter
capital of Jammu and Kash-
mir state, workers carrying
their belongings tied in bed-
sheets crowded a railway
station as they sought to
leave the region on trains
bound for Uttar Pradesh, Bi-
har and Jharkhand in In-
dia’s north and east. Some
complained that their Kash-
miri employers didn’t pay
them their salary as security
forces imposed tight travel
restrictions over the week-
end and asked them to leave
their jobs.
Laborer Jagdish Mathur
said many people walked or
hitched rides on army trucks
and buses from Srinagar to
Jammu, a distance of 160
miles.
“We haven’t eaten prop-
erly for the past four days,”
Mathur said, adding that he
didn’t have money to buy a
rail ticket to his village in
Bihar. “The government
should help me.”
Surjit Singh, a carpenter,
told a New Delhi TV broad-
caster that he was returning
home because of the securi-
ty lockdown.
Every year, tens of thou-
sands of people travel to
Kashmir from various Indi-
an states seeking work,
mainly in masonry, car-
pentry and agriculture.
Whenever the security situa-
tion deteriorates, they re-
turn home.
Protests over the Indian
government’s actions broke
out in Kargil, a Muslim-ma-
jority border city in the
Ladakh region that identi-
fies culturally with Kashmir.
India and Pakistan fought a
war there in 1999.
The mountainous area
comprises three regions:
Hindu-majority Jammu,
Muslim-majority Kashmir
and heavily Buddhist La-
dakh, which borders Tibet
to the east and the Chinese
territory of Xinjiang in the
far north. India’s decision
this week split off Ladakh
into a separate territory.
Kargil’s religious and po-
litical organizations con-
demned the Indian govern-
ment for acting “without the
consent from the people.”
Schools and shops were
closed Tuesday, and streets
were empty except for a
group of demonstrators who
marched and shouted slo-
gans decrying the separa-
tion of Ladakh.
Sheik Sadiq Rajai, chair-
man of the influential Imam
Khomeini Memorial Trust,
said India’s move was “an at-
tack on our identity. This de-
cision will disempower our
people.”PAKISTANI KASHMIRI people shout anti-India slogans during a demon-
stration in Islamabad, Pakistan, after New Delhi revoked Kashmir’s autonomy.
Aamir QureshiAFP/Getty ImagesPakistan punches back
at India over Kashmir
Islamabad downgrades
diplomatic ties as
migrant workers flee
the disputed territory.
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to change or cancel promotions and events.LEGAL NOTICE
Notice of the Pendency and Settlement of Class Action
IF YOU OWN AN APARTMENT BUILDING OR OTHER MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY IN CALIFORNIA
WHERE DIRECTV OR ITS AGENTS HAVE INSTALLED EQUIPMENT IN COMMON OR RESTRICTED AREAS, A CLASS ACTION
SETTLEMENT MAY AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS.
A proposed settlement (the “Settlement”) has been reached in a class action lawsuit entitledLBM Properties, LLC, et al., v. DIRECTV, et al.,
Los Angeles County (California) Superior Court, Case No. BC-540043 (the “Action”).
ARE YOU AFFECTED?
Your rights may be affected if you fall within the following Class:
All persons or entities (“Landlords”) that own and rent or lease residential multi-dwelling unit properties (“MDUs”) in the State
of California upon or in common or restricted areas of which Defendant DIRECTV, LLC, or its agents have permanently installed
DIRECTV Equipment.
WHAT IS THIS CASE ABOUT?
The lawsuit alleges that Defendant DIRECTV, LLC (“DIRECTV”) has a policy of installing satellite dishes and other equipment on or in
common or restricted areas of California residential rental MDU properties, such as rooftops and exterior walls, based solely on a tenant’s
representation that such installation is authorized, or that authorization from the property owner is unnecessary, and does not seek or obtain such
authorization directly from the property owner or his, her or its agent (“the Landlord”). The lawsuit claims that this policy is an unfair business
practice that violates the Unfair Competition Law, Business & Professions Code §§ 17200et seq. (the “UCL”).
WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE?
The settlement changes DIRECTV’s policy. It requires DIRECTV to secure permission directly from the Landlord before installing
its equipment in common or restricted areas of California residential rental MDU properties; to keep records showing its receipt of such
permission; and to make those records available, upon reasonable request, to persons who assert that they are the owners or managers of affected
property. The settlement is for an injunction only. The court earlier ruled that claims for monetary damages could not proceed in this case on
behalf of the class. Class members will keep their right to pursue claims against DIRECTV for damages.
Plaintiffs will request the Court to award their counsel fees and expenses in an amount not exceeding $2,900,000.00, and incentive awards to
each Plaintiff in the amount of $5,000.00; and DIRECTV agrees not to oppose an application for awards in such amounts.
DO I HAVE A LAWYER IN THE CLASS ACTION?
The Court has appointed Alan Plutzik, of Bramson, Plutzik, Mahler & Birkhaeuser, LLP, Walnut Creek, California, and Mark Kindall of Izard,
Kindall & Raabe, LLP, West Hartford, Connecticut, as Class Counsel to represent the Class.
WHEN WILL THE COURT DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT?
The Court will determine whether to approve the settlement at a fairness hearing (the “Fairness Hearing”), to be held on October 22, 2019, at 10:
a.m. in the Courtroom of the Hon. Kenneth Freeman, LosAngeles County (California) Superior Court, 312 N. Spring Street, LosAngeles, CA 90012.
WHAT ELSE WILL BE DECIDED AT THE FAIRNESS HEARING?
At the Fairness Hearing, the Court will also determine the Plaintiffs’ request for incentive awards in the amount of $5,000.00 each, and
Plaintiffs’ request for an award of attorneys’ fees and expenses in the amount of not more than $2,900,000.00, to be paid by DIRECTV (and
not by any Class members).
WHAT ARE MY LEGAL RIGHTS?
You have three options:
DO NOTHING: REMAIN IN THE CLASS. ACCEPT THE SETTLEMENT. If you are a class member and you do not take action to exclude
yourself from the class, you will be a class member, will be bound by the terms of the settlement, and will not be able to bring, or continue, a
separate lawsuit against DIRECTV for an injunction based on the same legal claims that are the subject of this lawsuit.You will, however, retain
the right to sue DIRECTV for damages caused by the installation of its equipment on your property.
ASK TO BE EXCLUDED: NOT BE PART OF ANY JUDGMENT OR SETTLEMENT. KEEP YOUR RIGHT TO SUE SEPARATELY FOR
AN INJUNCTION. If you wish to be excluded, you must send a letter, postmarked by September 30, 2019, addressed toLBM Properties, et al.,
v. DIRECTV, P.O. Box 404041, Louisville, KY 40233-4041, stating that you want to be excluded from the Class. Be sure to include your name,
contact information, and address of your rental property, and remember to sign and date the letter. DIRECTV will be changing its policy for all
California residential rental MDU property owners, so by excluding yourself you will not necessarily lose all of the benefits of the settlement.
But if you exclude yourself, you will be able to sue on your own behalf for an additional injunction based on the same claim.
OBJECT TO THE SETTLEMENT, THE INCENTIVE AWARDS AND/OR CLASS COUNSEL’S APPLICATION FOR AN AWARD OF
ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND EXPENSES, either by yourself or through an attorney that you hire at your own expense, if you do not exclude
yourself from the Class. Objections may be submitted in writing and mailed toLBM Properties, et al., v. DIRECTV, P.O. Box 404041,
Louisville, KY 40233-4041, postmarked on or before September 30, 2019, setting forth your written statement of the specific objections, the
grounds for your objections, and documentary evidence identifying yourself as a Class Member. The Court will also hear any Class Member
who appears at the Fairness Hearing and requests to have his or her objection heard by the Court, regardless of whether that Class Member
has objected in writing.
HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
For more information, go to http://www.DirecTVMDUSettlement.com. You may also contact one of the Class Counsel listed above.
Please do not contact the Court or DIRECTV regarding this Notice or the lawsuit itself.
By Order of the Hon. Kenneth Freeman, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
QUESTIONS? GO TO WWW.DIRECTVMDUSETTLEMENT.COM